When she called today to tell me her symptoms (that sounded to me like early warnings of transition) I encouraged her to go in and be checked because she has a very high threshold for pain tolerance and it was entirely possible for her to be having contractions and not be feeling them. As it is her first and there is no history - how was she to have any idea of how her labour was to proceed - fast and furious, fast and almost painless (my aunt always described her two labours as bad mentrusal cramps that last a couple of hours.... feel free to hate her! :-) or will her labour be slow and incredibly painful? My first labour lasted almost 36 hours - if I remember correctly and I vomited my way through it until they gave me a shot of gravol. This was eventually followed by a shot of demerol and I went from panicked shrieks of "I'm going to throw up! I am going to throw up!!!" to a chilled "Uh... I think.. I might throw up... now - could I have the bowl please... "
I am, for the most part, always polite through out my labour. Must be my Canadian upbringing - we are a very polite people. Just joking. I am not sure why I do not lose it like I hear so many woman complain of themselves. But ask my poor husband who is never allowed to leave the room for more than a nano second once I hit about 5 centimeters, but to whom I am still very civil and polite with. With the first baby, we did the whole lamaze course thing but when push came to shove (excuse the pun) he not only was not allowed to leave the room, but he had to sit on the stool and it had to be placed near my head. Nor was he allowed to touch me. I could not bear being touched except for a cool cloth on my forehead. Still he was not allowed to sit on the compfy recliner - it had to be the stool - by my head - where I could easily see him.
Hey - I said I was polite - not reasonable.
So anyone who happens to read this... today August 25th 2008 .... say a prayer for my daughter, and her little daughter in waiting, for a safe labour and delivery. Say a prayer for husband and Daddy, John, too. Labours are tough on Dads too - and he is especially compassionate and cannot stand to see Jenny suffer.
Prayer to Saint Gerard
Prayer for a Safe DeliveryO great Saint Gerard, beloved servant of Jesus Christ, perfect imitator of your meek and humble Savior, and devoted child of Mother of God, enkindle within my heart one spark of that heavenly fire of charity which glowed in your heart and made you an angel of love. O glorious Saint Gerard, because when falsely accused of crime, you did bear, like your Divine Master, without murmur or complaint, the calumnies of wicked men, you have been raised up by God as the patron and protector of expectant mothers. Preserve me from danger and from the excessive pains accompanying childbirth, and shield the child which I now carry, that it may see the light of day and receive the purifying and life-giving waters of baptism through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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